TEAM

Jenny Balisle considers her work as an artist, advocate, and administrator part of a greater social art practice. She has exhibited her artworks at the de Young Museum Artist-in-Residence, Harvard University, Museu Brasileiro Sao Paulo, and Shanghai Oil Painting & Sculpture Institute Art Museum. Her work has been featured in The Huffington Post, WOMENCINEMAKERS, and ZYZZYVA. Balisle has served as the Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County Managing Director, Richmond Arts & Culture Commission Chair, and Public Art Advisory Committee Chair. She’s the Executive Director of ARTSCCC (Arts Contra Costa County), an organization focused on a strong and equitable arts foundation for Contra Costa County.

Esther Rojas Soto is a Bay Area native and ceramic artist. Her background in the arts includes studio work, administration, and arts publishing. Currently serving as ARTSCCC’s Program, Marketing and Community Outreach Manager, she centers her art practice around building and nourishing community as well as collective healing through the arts. Amongst other duties, Esther assists artist CieraJevae Gordon in facilitating Poetry Series Program workshops for incarcerated youth in the Shasta unit of John A. Davis Juvenile Hall.

Bay Area-based since 2011, Pooya is a curious creative drawn to storytelling in all forms whether through 3D animation, or capturing
real-life moments with a camera. Pooya loves cooking, cats, and turning everyday scenes into lasting memories through photography and video. Pooya is ARTSCCC’s Program Coordinator as well as resident photographer & videographer.

Tony is a photographer, videographer, and mentor. He served on the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission and is Deputy Chief of Staff for Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez.

His Poetry has been commissioned by Google, AltaMed, and the Latino Community Foundation. He created A Poetic Experience at El Campanil Theater and Monument Impact’s H.O.M.E.S. (Home Offers Me Escape and Safety) art program.

He graduated from California State University, East Bay with a B.S. degree in Recreation, and a concentration in Youth Development Programming. Jeremy is the founder of Stu212 Music Therapy, Coping & Creativity. He has received several awards from prestigious leaders including Senator Nancy Skinner for his exceptional work with Bay Area youth.

He is a spoken-word poet, actor, writer, and ARTSCCC Poetry Series Program Lead Artist based in California’s Bay Area. He co-founded RAW Talent (Richmond Artist With Talent), published Té’s Harmony play, and starred in Romeo Is Bleeding documentary produced by Russell Simmons.

CieraJevae is Richmond’s first Black woman Poet Laureate and the Executive Director of Serving Melanin Collective. She is a poet and teaches at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts.

Monique is a spoken word Poet and the Author of Poetry’s Daughter. She has worked with various organizations including, Contra Costa Crisis Center, Urban Tilth, ACCE Action, City of Brentwood, Solano Community College, and Sonoma State University.

Tajanique is a visual artist, poet, and dedicated youth advocate. As a track and dance coach, and the Program Coordinator at Antioch High for Bridge Builders To The New Generation, Taj is committed to creating safe and expressive spaces. She has performed at open mic events and her artworks have been part of exhibitions. 

Alex is a poet, author, public high school teacher, and dedicated youth mentor. As the Executive Director of In My Section and coach of The Pittsburg Prodigies poetry team, Alex is committed to empowering the next generation. He has published multiple poetry collections and received the Youth Speaks Radical Educator Award.

Ben Jameson is an English professor at Los Medanos and Chabot colleges. A lifelong Bay Area resident, Ben earned his BA from San Francisco State and his MFA from the University of San Francisco. In February of 2022, he and Shani Shay launched the Writer’s Room Literacy Project at the juvenile hall in Martinez. He has been the classroom guide for four cohorts since starting the program.

Silvia is an internationally known artist, photographer, and activist who was born in San Francisco, California, lived and traveled throughout Mexico. She holds a B.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts from California College of the Arts and M.A. in Design / Visual Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. She served on the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission and Arts & Culture Commission of Contra Costa County.

A leading advocate for human rights and the Arts. Nava served on the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission, Sisters In Solidarity co-organizer, and Suppressed Histories Archives board member.

He is an ardent supporter and patron of the arts. Ben served on the Palo Alto Public Art Commission, Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County, and San Jose Arts Commission. He is a wedding officiant and has performed over 6,000 wedding ceremonies.

Served on Richmond Richmond Arts & Culture Commission and co-founded Richmond Women’s Film Collective. She was the Measure X Task Force Vice Chair and is Richmond Progressive Alliance Co-Chair.

SPG Therapy & Education Chief Operations Officer, providing oversight to multiple special education organizations. He has engaged in state legislation with the California Association of Private Special Education Schools & Agencies (CAPSES) and served as CAPSES President & Treasurer.